Description
Book SynopsisTrade missions are a key commercial diplomacy instrument of governments around the world. Via trade missions, governments and politicians aim to promote their home country economy abroad as well as to support firms to explore and enter new markets. Despite its widespread usage, and the claims made by governments about the positive results of trade missions, actual robust evidence of trade mission effectiveness is scarce. The reason for this lack of evidence is that trade missions are mostly studied and organized in ‘isolation’, disconnected from the participating firms’ level of international experience and international business competences.
This book presents a clear view on commercial diplomacy and defines trade missions as a firm internationalization learning experience. It outlines that trade mission's preparation, programme, and follow up, are key to making trade missions work. This book presents a research informed three-staged model of a trade mission and presents in detail how a real life trade mission was organized along this model.
This example should inform and inspire organizers of trade missions. The book also aims to revamp and innovate trade mission research, and will therefore be a useful source for new trade mission research for international business scholars.
Trade Review‘Huub Rüel opens the "black box" at the micro-level and serves up an insider's handbook for CEOs and diplomats involved in trade missions as an instrument for collaborative whole-of-governance society.’ -- Ambassador (ret.) Wilfried Bolewski, former Chief of Protocol to Chancellor Merkel
Writing for policy makers and advisors, consultants, business owners, and internationalization specialists, Ruël suggests how to organize more effective trade missions in order to spend tax-payer money responsibly. The material could also interest scholars, lecturers, and students of international business programs of all sorts, because all the content is research-informed. His topics include international business meets international relations, commercial diplomacy, definitions and objectives of trade mission, and an example of a three-stage trade mission. -- Annotation ©2019 * (protoview.com) *
Table of ContentsChapter 1. Trade missions in today’s global economy: international business meets international relations Chapter 2. Trade missions at the heart of commercial diplomacy Chapter 3. Trade missions: definitions and objectives Chapter 4. Organizing a research informed trade mission Chapter 5. A three staged trade mission: a real life example Chapter 6. Conclusion: the future of trade missions
